The Rogue Weasley
by Spooky-Spoot
Summary: Everyone thinks Percy is a big prat in Ootp, right? Ooh, there's Percy! Get him! Bring the pitchforks! Well, what if that's just what he wants you to think? What if he's really helping Dumbledore and the Order? What if he's a spy? CHAP 2 UP!
1. The Letter

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its respective universe and characters are copyrighted and owned by J.K. Rowling and Warner Bro. Studios. I am not making any profit off of this fanfic, and am doing this solely for my enjoyment. Don't sue me, I'm a college student.  
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**WARNING: OOTP SPOILERS!!**

Author's notes: I was reading through a theories section on some Harry Potter site one night. I can't remember if it was or , but that is neither here nor there. Anyway, I came across a theory that the letter Percy wrote in OotP was not a letter of warning about Harry's insanity. It was actually a letter of warning about Umbridge's takeover, increased interference, etc. So, I jumped on the idea and started writing. This fic should take you up through the writing of the letter. I'm not sure if it'll go beyond there. To tell the truth, I'm not even sure when the next chapter will be.

_Chapter I: A Letter_

My life has suddenly become very hard. That is a bit of an understatement, but I have always believed in starting a story simply. I have no clear idea as to who might be reading this, so I am afraid that I must ...ah, what is the word I am looking for? It's a muggle term, I do know that. They certainly do have a knack for naming things. Dumb-up, perhaps? No, that is definitely not it. Dumb-sideways? Dumb-down? Yes! Dumb-down. I must dumb-down and idiot proof this as much as possible. So, for those of you who are at least near my I.Q. will either have to bear with me or merely skip ahead to more juicy bits. As for the rest of you, I will try to explain everything in as much detail as possible. Alas, the woes of talented and gifted... 

Though I hate to admit it, I thought that after being Head Boy at Hogwarts things would come easily for me after that. But like I have implied in the first line, it has not. It is just the opposite in fact. I would never have imagined that even writing a letter to Ronald would be so hard. Number one, he wants little to do with me. Number two, it may blow my cover. And number three, no telling what will happen if he shows it to someone else. 

Mum and Dad want nothing to do with me. My other brothers and even little Ginevra think worse. I know they have always thought...oh, how was it that Fred put it once? Oh! That I was a Apompous arse licking donkey." But now it is even worse. What is even more - I really must find another word for worse. I feel as though I am getting a mite repetitive. Ahem. What is even more horrid, is that I do what I do by my own choosing. I may lament at my current state of affairs but I must always remember that being in the Order was my own choice. Dumbledore personally picked me. I am truly quite honored. It just never occurred to me how difficult this would be. 

Perhaps if I tell you how I came to this sad state of affairs, you would better understand my position. 

When term ended for my brothers and sister last year, I was still in a fair bit of trouble about old Mr. Crouch. I know I really should have realized that he was being controlled by Lord Voldemort - wait, scratch that. If I am to succeed I need to at least pretend to believe what the Ministry spouts - that he was slowly slipping into madness. But please, he practically handed the reins to me! Was I to say no and end all that? Of course not! I'm glad you see it my way. Anyway, I received a very strange letter. 

_Dear Percival Weasley, _

_I have been following your work at school and your budding career in the Ministry of Magic very closely. I am impressed with your skills and would like to meet you. If you are interested, please come to the Leaky Cauldron at 7 tonight. If Tom doesn't recognize you, tell him you are there to see Brian. He will take you to me. _

_Hoping to see you there, _

_B.D. _

I was very intrigued to say the least. According to many in the Ministry, my "budding career" was not worth the price of dung beetles. I had figured that my career in the Ministry was over because of my ... oversight. In fact, I was ready to turn in my resignation rather than face the shame of an inquiry. Well, I am certain that they would not have accepted my resignation had I actually done so. I am certain that at the most, they would have transferred me to a lesser department. Something like Misuse of Muggle Artifacts or some such nonsense - pardon me, I get carried away sometimes. 

Having nothing to lose, I decided to give it a try. Besides, many respectable people went to the Leaky Cauldron for meetings or just to take a load off. I was overage by two years so it's not like I would be getting any suspicious looks or what-have-you. You might think me over-cautious, but a pending inquiry and the results thereof is enough to make anyone a little jumpy. 

I arrived at the Leaky Cauldron at quarter 'til 7 o'clock. If I am anything, I am always early. Plus, I wanted to make a good impression. I wore my best set of dark maroon robes. It had a fancy little gold trim on the bottom and at the cuffs. A bowler hat was tipped rakishly to the side to give me a sort of debonair look. The Leaky Cauldron was filled with the usual sort. Dark shady types in the corner and people like Dedalus Diggle laughing away near the fire. I slid my bowler a little lower on the left side of my face. I really did not feel like chatting with Dedalus Diggle. The man is a complete buffoon and I really did not want my presence announced to the room. As I have already said, anyone would be jumpy in my shoes. I nodded to a few other people that recognized me, but continued in a business-like manner to Tom. He gave me one of his trademark toothless grins and motioned me to a barstool. 

"Ah! Percy, m'boy!" He said loudly as if we were old acquaintances, so much for keeping a low profile, "How've you been? I haven't seen you in a 'coon's age or more. What'll it be?" 

I quietly asked for a butterbeer. There was no need to meet Brian drunk. 

"Ah yes, y'never were one for the hard stuff were ya?" 

I could feel my ears going red as he passed me the butterbeer. Suddenly Tom leaned forward and covered the motion by wiping the area in front of me. 

"Play along, lad," He said in a soft, serious tone, "We need to make sure no one's following you." 

I stared at him with surprise as he suddenly went back to the role of the hapless bartender. Why would anyone be following me? Perhaps it was not such a bad idea to be over-cautious at times. It made me think that my mysterious benefactor was indeed high profile and definitely worth my time. 

"Got business in Diagon Alley, I presume?" He asked as I sipped my butterbeer. 

"Er, yes, yes," I set the butterbeer down trying to get into the swing of things. "But I seem to have got in too late. Most of the shops will be closing soon, I reckon. How about a room for the night?" 

Apparently I had said the right thing because Tom gave me the merest suggestion of a wink. 

"Sure, lad, sure. When you finish up that butterbeer, I'll find you a nice room," Tom turned away at that and I continued to drink by butterbeer. 

I tried to look around at my fellow patrons but I couldn't do more than glance to the side since it would have been far too obvious. I gave up and finished my drink instead. All glancing to the side had done was make my eyes hurt. I put the payment for the butterbeer on the table next to my empty mug. At the sound of coins, Tom turned around. 

"Right, this way Master Weasley," He said in a teasing voice. 

Tom led me through several hallways and up a flight of stairs. I had never realized that the tavern was that big! I wondered where he was taking me and if there was a shorter route. Then it occurred to me that Tom might be trying to shake a shadow. I looked around as if trying to note the way to my room. I didn't see anyone, but I suppose that our shadow could have been under an invisibility cloak. Personally, I think I would have known if we were being followed. Anyway, that's past now and I must continue with the series of events that lead to my present situation. We stopped outside Number 12 and Tom unlocked the door. He held it open for me. "He's already in there," he whispered and the said louder, "Have a nice night, Master Weasley." I passed through with a smile and nod. Tom closed the door and I found myself facing none other than Albus Dumbldore. He sat comfortably in a squashy armchair. The fire was not lit but there was that peculiar warmth that always followed Dumbledore permeating the room. He looked at me with a bemused smile. I was little gun shy to tell the truth. The Daily Prophet had just started reporting some horrible things about him and even Harry Potter, after all. I was not sure whether I believed that Dumbledore was senile or not. He had never really showed signs of senility until Harry Potter started... "Er," I started. I must confess that I was less than eloquent. "Are you here to see Brian as well?" Dumbledore continued to smile, and there was that damnable twinkle in his eyes. He cleared his throat. 

"I am Brian." 

"Oh, well then..." I really was not making a good first impression. Yes, I am aware that the Headmaster has known me for at least seven years but the note implied job prospects. "But, wait, your name is Albus." 

The Headmaster gave me an indulgent sort of smile. 

"My full name is Albus Percival Wulferic Brian Dumbledore. When I wish to make reservations or meetings without it becoming public knowledge, I usually use one of my more innocuous names," he replied. 

"Oh, I see." I said. 

I was feeling very uncomfortable. I did not know whether I should find a chair or stand before the closed door. I had already failed at the first impression. To top it all off, Dumbledore was still staring at me with that damnable twinkle in his eyes. 

"Would you like to sit, Percy?" He asked as he conjured one of those chintz armchairs he seemed to like so much. 

It would be churlish to decline a chair that had been specifically conjured up for me, so I sat. I tried to look as comfortable and at ease as possible. Which, of course, meant that I was sitting all the way back in my chair, gripping the arm rests, and sitting ram-rod straight. I can be a very relaxed person when I put my mind to it. 

Dumbledore sat serenely in his chair. He steepled his fingers and looked at me over his half-moon glasses. 

"Do you still wish to pursue a career in the ministry?" Dumbledore asked suddenly. 

"Why yes, yes I do." I said quickly. I was a bit taken aback by his abruptness but I suppose that's Dumbledore for you. 

"Well then, I have a business proposition for you." 

I straightened ever more at this. For the record, I tried very hard to keep my face impassive. It didn't work to well though. I think my face finally settled somewhere between eager and something resembling constipation. Dumbledore seemed to pay this no mind. 

"I am certain that you are aware that the vacant senior under secretary job is being passed to Dolores Umbridge?" Dumbledore asked. 

My eyes narrowed. I had an inkling as to where Dumbledore was going with this. 

"Yes," I said slowly. I was about to say more but Dumbledore raised his hand and continued. 

"Then you are also aware that the position of Junior Under Secretary is now vacant." 

"Yes," I began again but Dumbledore continued. 

"Do you believe that Lord Voldemort has returned?"  
  
Author's Note: And so ends the first chapter. It's a bit of a cliff-hanger but not really. You all know what the eventual end of the story is anyway. Now that you've read, go ahead and drop a review for me. I'd rather that you didn't flame. Constructive criticism is cool and all, but flaming just isn't.


	2. A Casual Conversation

Disclaimer: see first chapter

**WARNING: OOTP SPOILERS!!**

Author's Note: Yay! Someone reviewed and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Unfortunately, 's reviewer thing is not getting along with my computer so I cann't go return the favor. So instead, I will give my shout out to Fabioandtheduck here! Yay for Fabio! Go read her fics, no two are alike – trust me =)

Zane is from On a Pale Horse. There are five types of thinking explained to him but it seemed that the intuitive thinking (--) always seemed to serve him best.

Anyway, on with the story.

_Chapter II: A Casual Conversation_

Of all the things that I expected Dumbledore to say, it was most definitely and without doubt not _that_. I had been expecting a job offer, a recommendation, a casual conversation about the Chudley Cannons odds of winning, anything! But not, "do you believe Lord Voldemort has returned." How do you answer that? I found that I had gripped the arm rest even harder when he had mentioned You-Know-Who's name. I carefully and slowly pried my fingertips from the wood while trying to phrase an answer. No matter how senile the old headmaster had become, he was giving some rather strong hints about the junior under secretary position. I could not under any circumstances let that go.

"You say that he has," I answered. There, that was good and safe.

"That is not what I asked," he answered.

Dammit! He had me. Well, did I believe You-Know-Who was back? Well, I certainly didn't want to. But Harry had come back with Cedric's body. That didn't mean anything of course. It could be that Harry just snapped and when he found Cedric ahead, he – no, stop that. Harry was shaping up to be a good wizard but no fourth year could cast the killing curse...even if they were the intended savior of the wizarding world.

"Yes," I suddenly said. I rather surprised myself. It seemed that my mouth had grown bored with my ponderings about the nature of Cedric's death and acted of its own volition.

Dumbledore nodded. He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers once again.

"You are also, I am quite sure, aware of the Minister's stance on Voldemort's return?" He asked. He seemed not to notice my involuntary flinch at the name.

"The Minister is calling Diggory's death a 'tragic accident' and rumor is that he's calling in favors from the Daily Prophet editors so that they downplay Harry's role," I said in response.

I was really getting tired of this game. I really really wished that he would just get to the 'business proposition' that he had mentioned. But trust Dumbledore to drag things out for as long as possible, giving subtle little hints that don't meaning anything until he spells it out for you. Alas, the woes of the gifted and talented...

"The esteemed Minister is also calling for action against me as well since I told the students that Voldemort was back." I winced at the name but Dumbledore continued. "My name is rather quickly becoming Mud in certain circles. Fudge is making it very clear that anyone who has connections with me should start clearing out their desks."

My mind immediately jumped to my father. People may consider Dad a muggle-loving fool but that job was all that kept my siblings in Hogwarts. But surely dad's job security was not why he had called me in. Besides, I was more than sure that the results of the inquiry would be clearing out my desk before association with Dumbledore would. Dumbledore halted my musings by picking up his tale again.

"The Order of the Phoenix is reforming," he said as casually as one commenting on the rainy weather, "Many of the original members are dead but some of the Aurors are rejoining us. Members are out recruiting the aid of the giants, centaurs, and goblins. We have spies moving in Voldemort's ranks." By this point, my eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates. But Dumbledore continued, "It is becoming increasingly clear that as long as Fudge is Minister, we will need spies within the Ministry itself. Aurors are excellent resources but there are places in the Ministry where there is little reason for an Auror to be 'snooping' around."

And it was suddenly clear what Dumbledore had been building up to. In a blinding flash of intuitive thought that would have dumbfounded even Zane the Grim Reaper (it was assigned reading for a muggle studies class, so sue me), I realized what it was that Dumbledore wanted me to do. He was offering me the Junior Undersecretary job so that he would have an ear in the Ministry.

"And you want me to be that spy," I said with a surprisingly calm voice.

Dumbledore smiled indulgently once again, "Precisely," Dumbledore paused and reached into his voluminous robes. He pulled out a crinkly plastic bag. "Sherbet lemon?" He asked. I politely declined the muggle sweet. He set about selecting the perfect sherbet lemon and upon finding it he resumed, "You are best placed for the job. You are ambitious. You already have management experience. Also, the Minister knows vaguely of your existence. However, you are ambiguous enough that Cornelius will not think you are a threat. Cornelius is the type of man who surrounds himself with sycophants, yes-men, and those he thinks are too stupid to be spies. Your handling of the Crouch incident will shine favorably in Cornelius' eyes," Dumbledore paused again to pop the sherbet lemon in his mouth.

I'm not sure whether I should have been offended by Dumbledore's remark. Which did he or _Cornelius _think me? I suppose sycophant worked but I would prefer something a little more positive. Just becuase I can spot the best qualities in a man and enjoy lauding them does not mean that I am a "sycophant." A 'Yes-man?' Please, Crouch had great ideas on how to revolutionize international magical cooperation. Is it _my_ fault that he thought of them before I did? Besides, it really would not look well for the student to surpass the master so soon in the game if you catch my drift. I do know that it is not possible for either of them to think I am 'too stupid to be a spy.' I've said it before and I will say it again. Crouch practically handed me the reigns. Anyone would have done I did.

"Kingsley will mention your name in passing to the DDAE head. He will say something about what a shame it would be to lose such talent. The current head of that Department is a bit nosy, especially when it comes to such juicy gossip as your handling of the Crouch incident. She will pass on her findings to other department heads. Said gossip will eventually find its way to the ears of Dolores Umbridge. Dolores enjoys hand picking her successors so that she has a card to play when she needs a favor. She can not get rid of an inquiry but she has enough personal power to gloss over some things. So she will pounce on your record, sing your praises to the Minister, and congratulations Percy, you will have a job as Junior Undersecretary."

Dumbledore selected another Sherbet Lemon and popped it in his mouth. All I could do was stare, wide-eyed and mouth agape, at the Headmaster. To think that such plotting and maneuvering went on in the Ministry! I found it interesting that the Auror in charge of tracking down Sirius Black was actually under Dumbledore. But that information was pushed to the back of my head. I was much more amazed that Dumbledore was able to manipulate someone like Dolores Umbridge without any obvious interference.

Dolores Umbridge, now there was a woman not to be trifled with. She was a large woman who always reminded me of a toad. I know that is an awful thing to say, especially about someone higher up than myself. She would have two wonderful cards to play against me after this. Not only would I owe her for the job, but the easy inquiry as well.

Dumbledore left me to my inner musings as he put the crinkling bag back into his pockets. I could feel his eyes on me as I became very interested in the grain of the wood floor. An unasked question hung in the air and I knew perfectly well what it was. Would I do it? It would require some good acting on my part at the very least. There were people who held the Minister in their pockets, so to speak, that would try to hinder my placement. I was sure of it. All the Lucius Malfoys of the world would see the name "Weasley" and then automatically connect it to muggles and eventually Dumbledore. So in addition to good acting, I realized I would have to sever ties with my family temporarily.

I looked up and the Gryffindor in me rallied against my doubts and misgivings.

"All right," I said.

Dumbledore nodded gravely, all previous jocularity gone.

"Then I bid you a good evening, Mister Weasley," he said in a serious tone. That damnable twinkle seemed to have a gone out.

He rose from his chair and I did as well. I hurried towards the door so that I could open it for him. Even if it was for ulterior motives, he has pretty much handed me a dream job on a silver platter. Dumbledore bid me a good evening, shook my hand, and left.

Now then, let us pause a moment and come back to the present. Those of you who have been graced with the same intellect as mine may go on. Doubtless there are many of you who are wondering what just happened. In retrospect, it is very easy to understand why Dumbledore had to draw everything out and beat around the bush. He could not just walk in and say, "Hello there, Percy. Would you fancy being a spy for me?" That would have been stupid. I had to come to that conclusion myself. If I was ever fed veritaserum, I would be able to truthfully say that Dumbledore never asked me to be a spy. As I said before, I did it of my own volition.

Now then, back to the main story.

I sank back down in the chintz armchair once Dumbledore was gone and I had locked my door. I propped my elbows on knees and held my head in my hands. For some reason, a sense of foreboding and general doom had fallen upon me. To think that this very morning I had been worried about a simple little inquiry. Now the inquiry had been traded in for something much bigger – something more akin to the salvation of the wizarding world if you looked at the big picture.

What on earth had I gotten myself into?

Author's Note: And the end of another chapter. I know, I know, it's a bit boring what with it just being a bunch of talking. I really could have combined this chapter and the one before but I think it would have been a bit long in internet-view. But never fear! Action and Drama should be coming in the next chapter when we meet the delightful Dolores Umbridge and Percy has it out with his family.


	3. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE (no chapter…):

Ok, I realize that I have been gone a really long time. I guess you could say that I took a semester off of fanfiction. With all my college issues I kept looking at my beloved little story and just pushing it back what with marching band, honors probation, three Cs, roommate issues (I'm on my third…hehehe), and having to deal with crazy advisors (oh how I despise the college of engineering).

Then Christmas break came along…wonderful wonderful Christmas break. I was almost done with the third chapter. We got to meet Umbridge and the defense counsel, we got to see the trial, Percy got some surprising news (well, not really but I'm sure it shocked the Weasleys quite a bit…). But then guess what happened? I hit save, I'm getting out my little Cruzer Mini flash drive, and BAM! Computer-be-gone!

One Restore-Disk-No-Jitsu later and my story is completely gone…all chapters and the timeline of events I had planned out during my more stressful periods of college-dom. So, I sank into something of a fanfiction withdrawal. Now I'm fully recovered and am restarting my fic…which means I'll be restarting chapter three --;

At best, you should expect it in two months because remember, I am a full time student after all (17 hours, dude!).


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